Method and device for transporting and laying railway switches



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 0 March 19, 1935. ,L. KOPKE ET AL METHOD AND DEVICE FOR TRANSPORTING AND LAYING RAILWAY SWITCHES Filed Nov. 30, 1931 k A 4 W 2 w W m. W: N g m h r E 1 L L L M 4 E March 19, 1935. L. KOPKE ET AL METHOD AND DEVICE FOR TRANSPORTING AND LAYING RAILWAY SWITCHES Filed Nov. 30, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 @L Mw We Patented Mar. 19, 1935 PATENT;

METHQED AND DEVICE. FOR TRANSPORTING AND LAYING RAILWAY SWITCHES many Application November 30, 1931, Serial No. 577,874

In Germany October 28,1930

4 Claims.

Those assembled railway switches, the transverse dimensions of which exceed the admissible loading gauge of a railroad over which they are to be transported are at lpresent completely assembled as a rule in the switch building factory,

whereafter they are takento pieces which then are transported to the respective places of use, where either they are laid singly, directly at those places, without the aid of cranes, or in the proximity of which they are connected with one another so as to constitute the finished switches which then are further transported and laid with the aid of cranes. r

The existing track building cranes are not suited for transporting, switches, especially ifthe place of ,layingis somewhat remote from the place where the switches are assembled. Therefore, a separate car is required in addition to the crane, but this car is suited only for the transport of individual-switch members, in that the breadth, as well as the length of the car, is insufiicient for the transport of completely assembled switches. When an old switch is to be removed from a track, the switch usually is first disassembled and the separate elements thereof then aretransported in a normal rail car to the Work shop in order to be dealt with.

It is obvious that the procedure is in either case very circumstantial, expensive and requires much time, which is particularly disadvantageous as the periods of time available for the work to be done, for instance for exchanging a switch, is often times only very short, so that corresponding alterations in the time table must bev made.

The object of the invention is to obviate the various drawbacks connected with the working proceduresconcerned as having been carried out heretofore, and we have designed for the purpose in View a particular switch conveying and laying car which can be used for transporting old switches from the track to the work-shop and new switches from the work-shop to the track, and for laying the switches there without the aid of a separate crane or crane car.

The invention is illustrated diagrammatically and by way of example on the accompanying drawings on which Figure 1 is a side-view of a switch transporting and laying car designed according to this invention. Figure 2 is an endview thereof. Figure 3 is a side-view of an auxiliary carrier for loading the switches on the car and for unloading them therefrom. Figure 4 is a side-view of a switch car equipped with turnable carriers. Figure 5 is a transverse section through this car drawn to an enlarged scale.

(Cl. 10 l3) Figure 6 is a similar view. showing a modification; and Figure '1 is a transverse section through another modification, all as fully described hereinafter.

' As appears from Figs. 1 and 2, the switches are transported, not in horizontal position, but in an oblique position so as to utilize practically fully the loading gauge 19. For this purpose the car c is provided with a frame (1 which is so designed as to be able to receive and hold the switches in an oblique position. The switches are placed on said frame with the aid of a suitable lifting device and are firmly, detachably connected therewith by means of clamps, hooks, screws or the like. The frame may be designed for the reception of two switches, as in Fig. 2, or for only one, as may be desired.

The car may be equipped with winches e, by means of which the switch or the switches may be drawn onto, and lowered from, the oblique frames with the aid of wire ropes and guide sheaves. In such a case the switch is preferably first connected with a separate auxiliary girder 9 (Fig. 3) which is provided with guide rollers 1 running along upon the loading frame when the switch is drawn onto, or lowered from, said frame. ,Instead of such auxiliary girders, loose rollers can be connected by screws directly with the switch or with the respective piece of the track, and can be moved upwardly and downwardly along the said frame, rails then being placed below said rollers and used as guides for the switch or the piece of track, and the winches being operated manually or by power.

In Figs. 4 and 5 h denotes turnable carriers, 1 denotes turnable auxiliary carriers, and k denotes lattice girders connecting all carriers 71. and i with one another. This arrangement and combination of parts renders it possible to give the switch upon the car any desired degree of inclination and to receive it from, and discharge it to, either side of the car. If, for-instance, the switch a is to be brought into the opposite oblique position, from the position shown the bolts Z of the lattice girder k are unscrewed and the'girder is turned into the position indicated by the letter m. The bolts 10 then are removed and the carriers h are lowered by means of threaded spindles n so that the bolts Z can be put into the bores 0.

If the car must be conveyed to a comparatively remote place, the carriers and the lattice girder preferably are secured in the position shown in full lines (Fig. 5) in order to warrant secure support of the switch.

For lowering and lifting the switch a' winches q and guide sheaves r are provided and in order to increase the effective width of the carriers it said carriers are provided with shiftable ledges or bars s suitably guided on said carriers.

In the modification shown in Fig. 6 the carriers the platform a rope e is attached at one end" thereto and operates overa pulley e on the frame a. p

When theswitch a bears on the frame 2 and is to be moved from the oblique position first into vertical position and finally into the proper and ultimate horizontal position, the threaded spindle y is turned by the gearing y in such a direction that the members at are forced away from the frame .2 so that at first they and theswitch assume a vertical position and then tilt outwardly, the platform and the switch a being, however, held fast by the rope 2 by means of which said parts are slowly lowered, as can' be understoo without a more detailed explanation.

Instead of hinging the members at to a side of the car, they may be hinged medially thereof, in the longitudinal axis of the same, so that it is possible to turn them together with the switch by about 189, viz. from the one side of the car to the other side of the same. I 1 From the several constructional forms shown in the drawings by way of example it will be apparent that the switch-holding or carrying members (h, Fig. 5; t, Fig. 61.72, Fig. 7) may be designed in several manners. There may be many departures in these and other details without departing from the gist of the invention. An important feature is, however, in every case that the turnable or tiltable carrying or holding members, may be united with each'other so as to form a kind of platform, which as already mentioned, is provided and is so arranged and attached to the car that the latter can receive the switch on the one or the other side, can, perhaps, receive and hold two switches, one on either side, and renders it possible to turn the switch or the switches into any desired oblique position, and also to unload it or them laterally, as required for the laying.

, Moreover the car may be equipped at both ends with rotary cranes for facilitating the handling of the switches in loading them upon the car and unloading them therefrom, there being in this respect that economical advantage that a switchtransporting and laying car designed according to this invention can also be'so designed that a separate crane car can be dispensed with. Final 1 1y, it is also possible to equip this switch, transcarried by the girder members for rolling engagement with the inclined supporting structure of r the car during loading and unloading of the switch unit, and car carried means for drawing the switch unit upwardly along the inclined support ing structure and for controlling lowering of the switch unit from said supporting structure.

2. Means for the transportation and handling mounted on'the car for tilting movement to extend downwardly and outwardly towards either side'of the car, and in which means are provided for tilting said structure and securing it in either inclined position.

3. Means for the transportation and handling of switch units as set forth in claim 1 in which the of switch units as set forth in claim 1 in which the switch unit supporting structure is pivotally switch unit supporting structure is equipped with bars to be slid outwardly-beyond the sides of the supporting structure to afford skidways to facili-, 7

tate loading and unloading of the'trackunit onto and from the supporting structure.

- 4. A railway car for the transportation of switch units which are composed of assembled ties and rails and which units are of'material length and width and possess great weight, said car comprisinga wheeled body, 'a supporting structure pivotally mounted on the body on an axis extending longitudinally of both the body and the support-" ing structure for tilting movement betweenplanes extending downwardly and'outwardly toward each side of the car body, means for detachably connecting the lower side portion of the supporting structure to the car body in either of the said positions of the supporting structure, strut means for detachablyconnecting the upper side portion of the supporting structure to the car body-in;

either of the said positions of the supporting structure, means on the car for tilting the supporting structure, and other means on the car for drawing a switch unit upwardly along the inclined supporting structure andfor controlling lowering V of said unit from said supporting structure.

' LUDWIG KGPKE.

HERMANN WUNDENBERG. WILHELM RELLENSMANNJ HEINRICH KOCH. 

